The Val'kyr
"Oh enough with the martyr complex, Ellie! You were rescued from an abusive home by someone who actually cared about you, you have a beautiful wife and a daughter who loves you, and you live in a fucking utopia! Do you have any idea how many abused kids in the galaxy would kill to be in your position?! So stop with the pity party and start giving a shit about other people beyond your own narcissistic ego!" - Sutanu F'thar, describing the Val'kyr as a utopian society The Val'kyr are a galactic superpower of Angels, Demons, and Witches. They make their home in the Val'kyr Capital. History The Val'kyr were formed shortly after The Uprising. They were formed by Lord Ryder, Grand Lord Megan and a handful of surviving warriors. Working together, they reconstructed Jehovah's old city and made it into a base of operations and a home for themselves. Lord Ryder personally trained many Val'Kyr in the basics of combat and diplomacy. Ryder herself went on a galaxy-wide pilgrimage to learn and master as many different forms of combat, magic, and other such powers to ensure his students had a wealth of knowledge to absorb. Because of this, the Val'kyr Archives is one of the most extensive collections of books and tomes in the galaxy, and the Val'kyr are as much masters of philosophy as they are combat. Over the course of nearly a billion years, the Val'Kyr ended many conflicts between primitive and developing planets throughout the universe. Gifted with powerful sorcery and combat abilities, they were a force to be feared and respected. They were temporary combat allies in a handful of wars over their lifetime. Standard of Living The standard of living for most Val'kyr is overwhelmingly high compared to mortal nations. Food and Housing Food is given to members of the Capital for free in public dining halls, with meals often brought to people who prefer to eat in their quarters. Food is generally plentiful owing to Lord Ryder establishing Agricultural centers on various planets to generate a large supply of produce and game. As a result, most Val'kyr are free to eat to their own personal appetite. Those who lived in situations where food was scarce, such as Phyaun and Elethyn, tend to have difficulty adjusting to this at first. Everyone in the Capital is given housing, the size and scale of which is dictated by their need. Most Val'kyr, especially young Val'kyr, live in communal structures similar to a dormitory. Citizens who are married are given larger quarters to accommodate two people, and citizens with families such as Ascentia Crane live in small houses that have been recently constructed in the lower city. Lord Ryder's decision to construct more family-oriented housing a decade prior turned out to be prophetic, as after the destruction of Jehovah and Lord Ryder ceased her policy of mandatory combat training, a third of the Val'kyr adopted a civilian life and settled down with their partners. Security and Law Enforcement The streets of the Capital are intensely guarded, with posts on nearly every corner. Lord Ryder also personally patrols the city streets at least twice per day. Reports of law-breaking and/or disputes generally do not take long to reach the ears of a Lord and are quickly resolved. Disputes are often broken up resolved in the moment, with more aggressive disputes being investigated by a Lord and (if necessary) subjected to a trial by Lord Ryder herself. Civil Rights Val'kyr are generally free to live however they see fit, so long as they come prepared to battle. Privacy is guaranteed (most dwellings have one-way windows to prevent people from looking inside) and those on guard duty may not enter an individual's home without either consent from the occupant or an order from Lord Ryder. However, this law has proven itself to be useless as Lord Ryder tends to investigate disputes in private homes herself and she is so overwhelmingly respected that occupants will often invite her inside before she has even stated why she is there. Criminal trials are rare, and most Val'kyr are not guaranteed a right to a trial. This is often due to Lord Ryder being so respected that her personal admonishment tends to be humiliating enough to straighten out undesirable behavior. Ryder has also been known to threaten people in an attempt to scare them into line, such as when she threatened an Acolyte who had attempted to kill Phyaun and claimed that the girl only had her pity; Ryder having pressed the tip of her sword to the Acolytes neck and asked her if she would like to see what her pity looked like. Instances of Ryder using such threats are rare, and seem to be reserved for those who violently assault others with weapons. Val'kyr marriages are simple ceremonies overseen by a Lord, and marriage is equal regardless of gender. Polyamorous marriages are also permitted. The only known restriction on Marriage is that Acolytes may not marry in any capacity. LGBT rights in general are considered to be extremely high, with gay women making up the largest demographic among the Val'kyr. Culture The Val'kyr are a militaristic and philosophical race, their population built mostly from the remaining Angels in the Capital after Lord Ryder's coup and the deceased from Earth. The most important resource to most Val'kyr is knowledge. Because they live for survival and are relatively small in number, Val'kyr have no economy to speak of. They find their resources on barren planets and construct what they need. Because they are able to gather resources in such a way, the Val'kyr War Machine is considered nearly unstoppable. Conventional warfare, such as The Earthen War, is a sure win for them. While psychological and systemic warfare, such as the Siege of Canterlot, give them more difficulty. Trivia *It is unknown if the Val'kyr have any official declaration of Freedom of Speech. While Lord Ryder has not scoffed at the concept like she does with many other mortal traditions, there are also no known instances of people speaking out against her. Whether Ryder actively suppresses such things or this is a result of her people's overwhelming respect and adoration of her is unknown. **Ryder has, however, been known to let attacks against her slide such as when Phyaun and Sutanu attacked and attempted to kill her in the Cathedral. Despite nearly being killed in the attack (and likely would have if Magselyn had not intervened) she only indirectly threatened the both of them with death if they pulled such a stunt again. Category:Factions